Ryder Cup: Paul McGinley chosen to captain Europe

By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Published on 15/01/2013 22:54

PAUL McGinley, the first Irishman to get the post, beat three Scots to land the 2014 Ryder Cup captaincy at Gleneagles.

Colin Montgomerie, Sandy Lyle and Paul Lawrie were among five names considered – the other was Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez – by the European Tour tournament committee in Abu Dhabi last night.

Along with fellow committee member McGinley, 2010 winning captain Montgomerie was asked to leave the room when the post came up for debate. However, McGinley was the “unanimous choice” and the new captain immediately vowed to have a strong Scottish flavour to his team when he locks horns with five-times Open champion Tom Watson, who will captain the American side in Perthshire.

Thomas Bjorn, the tournament committee chairman, described McGinley as the right choice. “We considered five names – Sandy Lyle, Colin Montgomerie, Paul Lawrie, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Paul McGinley,” said Bjorn at the

announcement in the UAE

capital. “But the committee is 100 per cent behind the man we have chosen.”

McGinley’s appointment, which he described as “humbling”, was welcomed by opposite number Watson as well as First Minister Alex Salmond.

Congratulating him by tweet, Watson said: “I look forward to our future competition – you are a class act.”

Salmond said: “I’m sure the whole of Scotland will join

me in welcoming and congratulating Paul.”